Atlas Abdicated

By Chaitra Ramalingegowda

Love, Fate, and Hope

walked into a bar,

having wearied themselves

after a long day’s work.

Love nursed a broken heart,

bruised but not beaten,

with faith in her power

to make it last.

Fate nursed hurt fingers,

having cut herself

working the spindle,

but satisfied with all.

Hope was weary yet wishful,

with the promise of

a better tomorrow

on the horizon.

How these three

came to be sisters,

nobody could fathom,

for seldom did

they call the same place home,

having bounced around

from one to the other,

with the ease of dandelion fluff,

carrying upon their slender shoulders

the weight of the world,

putting Atlas to shame,

for these three ran the world,

not the other way around;

kept their heads held high,

even with curses thrown at them,

oaths flung their way,

brushing them off

and moving forward,

for there was time not to waste

when running the world.

Love, Fate, and Hope

walked into a bar,

wishing for a drink or two,

but settling for water instead,

unwilling to numb themselves,

for they knew that

feeling everything was a curse,

but feeling nothing was worse.

By Chaitra Ramalingegowda